Young Florida actuary Alan Percal (23) bested some of the best when he won the $10,000 buy-in Heads-Up No-Limit Hold’em Championship at the World Series of Poker Thursday, surviving a talented field that included names like Oliver Busquet, Alexandre Luneau and Brian Rast to claim his first gold winner’s bracelet.
Percal’s reward for the feat was a $320,574 pay day after he won seven straight matches against some scary opposition, realising a dream he has had since he began playing poker.
The youSWEDISH VICTORY IN WORLD SERIES OF POKER EVENT
Peter Eichhardt takes home $438,417 in 2,016-entry event.
Swedish poker player and writer Peter Eichhardt (50) has scored his first World Series of Poker bracelet and a $438,417 pay day in the first of several $1,500 buy-in NLHE events at the Rio in Las Vegas.
2,016 entries were recorded for the event, building a prize pool worth $2.72 million; Eichhardt’s big win completely eclipsed his previous best of $101,790, earned in Barcelona last year.
Eichhardt faced a tough final table that included players like Anthony Zinno and John Racener, but in the end he faced David Aalvik in the heads up with a chip advantage sufficiently large to eliminate his last opponent and send him home with a runner up prize worth $270,842.
Other final table cashes included:
Michael Addamo $196,202
John Racener $143,563
Tim Farrelly $106,115
Bruno Borges $79,241
Raymond Phu $59,787
Anthony Zinno $45,582
Richard Dubini $35,121ng actuary has been playing online for several years, and made an unsuccessful trip to Las Vegas last year…this visit has certainly proved a lot better.
Percal’s last opponent was John Smith, a 69-year-old player from California who cashed in a WSOP event two years ago. Percal was able to gain an early lead and ultimately build it into a 12 to 1 advantage which Smith was unable to overcome.
Finalists’ rewards included:
John Smith $198,192
Olivier Busquet $123,929
Alexandre Luneau $123,929